The Fixx Concert Review December 8 2019 Boston MA Big Night Live With Special Guest Royston Langdon of Spacehog
Article and photos by Eric Larson, copyright 2019 all rights reserved
The Fixx continue to impress audiences as one of the best live bands around. December 8th, 2019 was no exception. The location for this date of their winter tour was the brand new Big Night Live venue located just outside of the Boston Garden. The room is relatively small, which is a good thing, but it is very impressive, with a two level general admission floor surrounded by VIP tables behind and to the right of the stage, a large bar area, high ceilings, massive structural beams, and great sound.
I’ve seen The Fixx many times over the years and they honestly seem to get better each time I see them. Active and regular touring keep this band in the spotlight, in shape, and relevant, delivering an impressive song list and memorable live performances that have audiences coming back year after year.
Each of the five members were in top form playing through eighteen hits, singles, and deep cuts from a career that spans nearly four decades. The setlist featured several of their most notable hits including “Saved By Zero”, “Stand or Fall”, “One Thing Leads To Another” and “Red Skies at Night”. It also included the more recent “Shaman” from their latest album Beautiful Friction and fan favorites like “Phantom Living”, “Camphor”, and “Driven Out”. The encore featured the hidden track “Peace on Earth” from the Walkabout album and the evening concluded with a cover of “So This is Christmas” by John Lennon. The Fixx invited some special guests out for this rendition, including the band’s front-of-house sound technician and Royston Langdon, the opener, widely know as the lead singer and bassist for Spacehog. Even Santa made a surprise appearance handing out treats and welcoming the happy audience – an appropriate ending to an evening on this winter tour dubbed “Fixxmas”.
Cy Curnin delivered his melodic and dynamic lead vocals accompanied by signature subtle theatrics to an eager audience while guitarist Jamie West-Oram made his Stratocaster sing in the brilliant style that is uniquely his own and one of the dirtiest “clean” guitar tones in rock ’n’ roll. West-Oram gave a special performance this evening that wasn’t missed on Curnin who introduced him later in the set commenting “That’s Mr. Jamie West-Oram here – he definitely took the gloves off tonight”.
Bassist Dan K. Brown, who is known to play both fretless and fretted bass, played a NS Design NXTa Radius 5 string fretted bass that you could feel in your bones. His stoic appearance is in stark contrast to his varied, melodic, and rhythmic bass lines. Read our exclusive interview with Dan here. Drummer Adam Woods provided a solid rhythmic foundation that perfectly supports and anchors the music, while Rupert Greenall designed a landscape of synth and keys that completes the signature Fixx sound.
Opening the evening Royston Langdon played a simple and powerful solo acoustic set. Just a man, his guitar, beautiful vocals, and songs that came from somewhere deep inside. The simplicity was stunning as he engaged the audience with a genuine and emotional performance. One memorable moment brought him to the front of the stage singing quietly without the microphone, directly to the people – a very intimate and inclusive gesture to new and loyal fans alike. An acoustic version of Spacehog’s wildly successful “In the Meantime” was a highlight of the night.
The music of The Fixx is alive and well. The Fixx continue to create and tour regularly delivering brilliant and memorable performances year after year that will not disappoint, presenting new music that is as significant as their classics. Whether it is live in concert or through their extensive catalog of recorded music, discover or rediscover The Fixx in every format.
For more info and tour dates:
Fixx music on itunes.apple.com
Setlist
I Found You
How Much is Enough
Less Cities More Moving People
Driven Out
Camphor
Are We Ourselves
Precious Stone
Saved By Zero
I’m Life
Stand or Fall
Phantom Living
One Thing Leads to Another
Shaman
Deeper and Deeper
Secret Separation
Red Skies at Night
encore:
Peace on Earth
So This is Christmas
